Whether you're packing up for a beach day , a pool day or an afternoon tailgating session , you're probably in the market for ways to keep the ice in your cooler colder for longer. Sure, you can buy an expensive cooler that's supposed to keep that ice frozen for hours on end, but if you don't have the dough to drop on new gear, buy some cotton balls , instead. (Yep, you read that right.)
Content creator @that40yearguy just shared this super cool ice hack on his TikTok account and we couldn't believe it actually worked, but he said (and showed) it did and science backs him up.
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Why Should You Freeze Cotton Balls in Ice?
According to his video (and the videos from other online creators ), all you have to do is add some cotton balls, pulled apart, to your ice trays or a bowl or other container you'd like to make ice in. Fill the ice tray or container with water and freeze. Once it's frozen the ice with the cotton balls is harder to break, but (more importantly) it also stays frozen for longer.
That 40-Year-Old Guy tried the ice that was reinforced with cotton balls and ice that was not in his cooler. The reinforced ice lasted longer. But why and how does this work?
Cotton doesn't transfer heat very well, so when you embed cotton balls in ice, the cotton creates a barrier that slows down the transfer of heat. This means the ice melts more slowly. The cotton fibers also help make the ice stronger and sturdier, so it's more difficult to break.
If you need to keep ice cold for a long time, this is a simple and cheap way to do it!
In the comments to his video, someone said that this is a great hack for people who use air conditioners that rely on ice to keep the room cool. Many other people said this is a great idea for making ice packs for burns and injuries. It would definitely keep them colder for longer!
"Great for hurricane season," someone else added. That is a wonderful idea—keep some cotton ball ice in your freezer for those unexpected power outages. The ice can help you keep your food cold while you wait for the electricity to be restored.
This might go without saying, but we're gonna say it anyway: don't use this ice in your drinks unless you enjoy iced tea or lemonade with soggy cotton.
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